Football hazing at Grundy County High School under investigation, head coach suspended

A Grundy County football coach has been suspended from his job as the Sheriff's Office continues its investigation of an alleged hazing incident.

Sheriff Shrum says that 5 Grundy County H.S. football players have now been charged with attempted aggravated rape. The cell phone has been sent to the TBI.

The team's head football coach has also been suspended, but the school investigation is separate from the criminal one. Once inside, Sheriff Shrum says five players began to wrestle with a 15-year-old freshman.

Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum said at a news conference Thursday that one of the boys filmed the attack as the others held down the freshman, pulled down his trousers and tried to assault him with the mop handle as he struggled. At the time, board member Rueben Newsome said the future of Tate's employment in the district was under scrutiny because students and parents did not want to play for him and many had transferred to Marion County and South Pittsburgh high schools in order to play football for the coaches there.

"We specifically asked this question to every one of them: 'Did you have to go through the same thing?' And every one of them said no", Shrum said.

According to Shrum, the alleged assault was brought to the attention of school officials and the school resource officer by an assistant football coach who heard a rumor and felt it needed to be investigated.